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Squirrel Mail is so slow

MaestroMan
Grafter
Posts: 33
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎31-12-2008

Squirrel Mail is so slow

I know this has cropped up before, but why is Squirrel Mail so painfully slow?  All my emails are downloaded by Outlook Express so I use Squirrel Mail only to delete the original messages (usually less than 100) which always takes ages.
I've also got an email address with Yahoo, which is lightning fast by comparison - and they must have a lot more email accounts than PN.
Come on PN - put a bomb under the squirrel!!    Angry
22 REPLIES 22
MrT
Grafter
Posts: 379
Registered: ‎30-06-2010

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Why not delete them from the Server as you dowload them?
I think the following will let you do this:
1. Open Outlook Express. Click the Tools menu and choose Accounts.
2. Click the Mail tab. Highlight your mail account and click the Properties button.
3. Click the Advanced tab. Uncheck Leave a copy of messages on server.
Apply the change and that's it. Cool
MaestroMan
Grafter
Posts: 33
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎31-12-2008

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

I used to do that, but then found it was useful to keep a copy on the server in case I completely deleted something from Outlook Express.  I recently changed the settings to keep messages for 60 days, but even then they mount up.  I'll probably now change it to 30 days, so I don't have to use Squirrel at all.
However, it's still a concern.  When other areas of PN are so good, particularly in dealing with queries and problems (as I've always found) it's a pity their webmail service is so poor.  It looks and works like something from the old dial-up days!  Sad
gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
Thanks: 2,459
Fixes: 17
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

I Have to agree, squirrelmail is the slowest thing I have ever used.
For most people it will not be a problem as there are numerous other e-mail programs out there but Plusnet do need to address this problem. It's not just the slow speed but error messages to say the connection was dropped by the IMAP Server, poor filtering, non deletion of spam etc.
If it can't be improved on it would be better to remove it and not offer the service as it does the reputation of Plusnet no good in having such a poor program !
We are born into history and history is born into us.
MaestroMan
Grafter
Posts: 33
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎31-12-2008

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Hear, hear!  Does everyone have this problem with Squirrel Mail?  It'd be interesting to know what PN has to say, like can they, and will they, improve it?  Huh
Not applicable

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

I have no evidence to prove that this is correct but some months ago I had a blitz on SM and deleted loads of emails that I had stored.
Alright, it is not as fast as GMail or Zoho but it is noticeably better.
Might be worth re-routing via one of the above.  Your emails would be fetched from SM and set to delete from server.  That way you could store as much as you want and keep Squirrel empty.
I am not sure that SM is a good storage facility.
community
Grafter
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Quote from: MaestroMan
Hear, hear!  Does everyone have this problem with Squirrel Mail?  It'd be interesting to know what PN has to say, like can they, and will they, improve it?  Huh

I have been complaining to Plusnet for well over 2 years about Squirrel (which I re-named Snail)
It is agonisingly slow.
The trouble with changing to another mail service is that you have to keep coming back to SM to see if your contacts know that you have left and gone to a new service!
I seem to remember that there was a second trial of another service by Plusnet, was it roundcube?, which was much faster...but it went the same way as SM and became unusable....
Not applicable

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

RoundCube is still available (AFAIK) to those who ask.  I have use of it but don't find it a deal better than Squirrel. 
I do agree about SM being slow.
As for using another webmail if you set up GMail, Zoho mail or the like to collect messages from Plusnet you can select the option not to leave messages on the server then you would not need to use SM at all.  You an also configure them to send out messages with your Plusnet email address.
Sounds a bit complicated but is OK once set up.  Also both of these have (SSL) POP3 so you can download messages to your own email client.
gleneagles
Aspiring Legend
Posts: 11,105
Thanks: 2,459
Fixes: 17
Registered: ‎02-08-2007

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Must admit I only use the  plusnet e-mail for non important stuff such as those sites that insist on registration before access to their site so it would not matter if I did not check what was in that box for months.
Apart from that I can't see any other use for it.  Gmail provides everything I want and it's fast and kept up to date.
Plusnet are simply wasting their money (or our money) providing an e-mail service this poor.
We are born into history and history is born into us.
Not applicable

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Totally agree!  However, would love to know why the Squirrelmail that I use with my website (a forum) is OK. 
Definitely much quicker than the PN version.
Can anyone explain why?
artificer
Grafter
Posts: 1,850
Registered: ‎11-08-2007

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

squirrel mail is fine for me. 
MaestroMan
Grafter
Posts: 33
Thanks: 1
Registered: ‎31-12-2008

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

I like poppy's suggestion of re-routing the PN mail via another webmail server.  I'll have to try it with Yahoo.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds Squirrel dire.  When I've selected a lot of emails to delete it often completely freezes up and sometimes has timed out or crashed altogether.  Sad
community
Grafter
Posts: 666
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

@poppy and maestroman
yes I already have googlemail and have decided to go there now for ALL my mail
BTW, it is now called gmail in UK
Not applicable

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Have had a Gmail addy for some time but don't use it very much as I dislike the Conversation  View.  Reading this thread has just prompted me to do another search to see if a turn off function has been added (I have done numerous searches with no satisfactory result).
Anyway, at last it has been added so for those of you who have a Gmail address and dislike the threaded messages, here is the link which will tell you how to turn it off:
http://www.dkszone.net/turn-gmail-conversation-view
PS The button setting only shows up in standard view, not basic.
hazel54
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎09-11-2010

Re: Squirrel Mail is so slow

Have used SM  before when I worked in academia. Haven't noticed SM being too slow, but am being bugged by a message which has recently appeared after returning to a draft, completing it and sending :-
Plusnet Logo
ERROR
You must be logged in to access this page.
Go to the login page
On following the instructions and then checking the Sent folder, the message has been sent